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Reverend J L Leckie
634
REVEREND
World Renew~le Energy Netwo~
J L LECKIE
Fowlis Wester, Madderty and Monzie Manse, Abercairny, Crieff PH7 3BS, Perhhshire, UK
Straight from school into the Army (1944) reaching the rank of Captain and company commander. Served in India's (now Pakistan's) north-west frontier trying to keep peace between Muslims and Hindus. Impressed by the use of wood for fuel, involving destruction of scarce trees, leading to soil erosion. Also in Palestine '47-'48, a time of ferment just before the British surrendered their UN Mandate. Then relieved a regular officer in charge of an anti-malaria unit in Egypt for his 6 month furlough. Was horrified to learn much later of the bad effects of DDT. During Joe's tenure malaria figures dropped from 1,000 to 100 among British troops (Egyptian figures unavailable). This was primarily due to his organizing of the spraying of a large marsh by personal approach to an RAF pilot and to stricter supervision of workers spraying canals. But the long-term damage must have far exceeded that benefit. After two University courses at Oxford and Edinburgh (M.Phil. gained later at St. Andrews while in full time employment), became a Church of Scotland minister. Pastorates in Scotland, Guyana, USA (US Presbyterian) and back to Scotland. Became
Biographies of WREN Members
635
concerned with pollution through a cousin, Dr. warty Yellowless, a GP in Aberfeldy and proponent of healthy diet. This led to interest in a n t i - p o l l u t i o n measures in which Joe saw renewables as a major contributor. He also became indignant at the injustice done to Salter's Duck', conceiving an enormous admiration for Salter. Joe sees Stephen Salter as an u n a c k n o w l e d g e d genius, like Barnes Wallis and other inventors too far ahead of the herd. This led to research into the neglect of renewables, their misrepresentation, the distortion of their costs and other ploys (see e.g. Leviticus 19. 35, 36; Deuteronomy 25. 15) to justify their deplorable underfunding by governments. Politicians, having ensured that renewables remain in retarded infancy by malnourishment then blithely brand them as immature and non-viable. There are a few happy exceptions such as Danish and C a l i f o r n i a n wind energy. It seems to Joe that vested interest in traditional fuels and debonair arrogant cavalier dismissal of the warnings of reputable scientists, such as those in the IPCC or in the RCEP bid fair to bring the planet to the brink of disaster. After six years of pleading with the Church of Scotland General Assembly one of his motions was accepted unanimously, with an amendment, as follows : Urge H.M. Government to make much more funding available for the development of renewable energy sources because, unlike others, they pose minimal threat to health and so have no significant environmental impact in this respect.
REVEREND
World Renew~le Energy Netwo~
J L LECKIE
Fowlis Wester, Madderty and Monzie Manse, Abercairny, Crieff PH7 3BS, Perhhshire, UK
Straight from school into the Army (1944) reaching the rank of Captain and company commander. Served in India's (now Pakistan's) north-west frontier trying to keep peace between Muslims and Hindus. Impressed by the use of wood for fuel, involving destruction of scarce trees, leading to soil erosion. Also in Palestine '47-'48, a time of ferment just before the British surrendered their UN Mandate. Then relieved a regular officer in charge of an anti-malaria unit in Egypt for his 6 month furlough. Was horrified to learn much later of the bad effects of DDT. During Joe's tenure malaria figures dropped from 1,000 to 100 among British troops (Egyptian figures unavailable). This was primarily due to his organizing of the spraying of a large marsh by personal approach to an RAF pilot and to stricter supervision of workers spraying canals. But the long-term damage must have far exceeded that benefit. After two University courses at Oxford and Edinburgh (M.Phil. gained later at St. Andrews while in full time employment), became a Church of Scotland minister. Pastorates in Scotland, Guyana, USA (US Presbyterian) and back to Scotland. Became
Biographies of WREN Members
635
concerned with pollution through a cousin, Dr. warty Yellowless, a GP in Aberfeldy and proponent of healthy diet. This led to interest in a n t i - p o l l u t i o n measures in which Joe saw renewables as a major contributor. He also became indignant at the injustice done to Salter's Duck', conceiving an enormous admiration for Salter. Joe sees Stephen Salter as an u n a c k n o w l e d g e d genius, like Barnes Wallis and other inventors too far ahead of the herd. This led to research into the neglect of renewables, their misrepresentation, the distortion of their costs and other ploys (see e.g. Leviticus 19. 35, 36; Deuteronomy 25. 15) to justify their deplorable underfunding by governments. Politicians, having ensured that renewables remain in retarded infancy by malnourishment then blithely brand them as immature and non-viable. There are a few happy exceptions such as Danish and C a l i f o r n i a n wind energy. It seems to Joe that vested interest in traditional fuels and debonair arrogant cavalier dismissal of the warnings of reputable scientists, such as those in the IPCC or in the RCEP bid fair to bring the planet to the brink of disaster. After six years of pleading with the Church of Scotland General Assembly one of his motions was accepted unanimously, with an amendment, as follows : Urge H.M. Government to make much more funding available for the development of renewable energy sources because, unlike others, they pose minimal threat to health and so have no significant environmental impact in this respect.